Sir William Beresford
British
General
Viscount of Albuera
1768-1854
Joining
the army in 1785, the aristocratic Beresford served in North America
and lost an eye in a hunting accident in 1786.
He
fought the French at Toulon and,
in 1795, joined the 88th when it went to India.
Beresford saw more service in Egypt, the Cape and then came the
embarrassment of being captured at Buenos
Aires.
After
a brief time as Governor of Madeira (for Portugal), Beresford returned
to the British army with Sir John Moore
and the Duke of Wellington.
In
1809, he was promoted and given the task of turning the Portuguese
army into an efficient and disciplined fighting force.
Knighted
after the battle of Bussaco, Beresford
then commanded at the bloody conflict of Albuera,
where he received criticism for his positioning of troops.
Supported
by Wellington, Beresford threw off self-doubt and continued to play
a major role in the campaign.
A
man of immense personal strength - he once threw a French cavalryman
from his saddle - he was severely wounded at Salamanca.
After
the war he became Master-General of the Ordnance between 1828 and
1830.
Whatever
doubts others may have had about Beresford's capacity for independent
command they were never backed by Wellington.
He
said if anything ever happened to him then it was Beresford he wanted
to take over.
Great
praise indeed.
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